Looks like the RPK receiver will be the way to go, then. I'll put one on the list. Looks like I'll need the proper metric reamers too. I have to order some more expendable tooling next week, so I'll pick some up then.

If I was doing the relaoding I would just go un sprung and use NATO style harder primers. (if you can ever find them again) I load all my 7.2x39 this way.

there is also ways to convert a normal bolt to sprung.

It is a nice feature and adds some safety. It really should be on all guns that mmay fire commercial ammo. I noticed my rommy 223 kit dosent have a spring loaded pin IMOO it should. it likely is actualy a 5.56 nato chamber. I have seen some pretty good dents even in hardend primers from the pin hitting it.

I would be interested in the spring loaded pin conversion, then I wouldn't worry so much of slam fires.

I guess my questions should have been:

A) do slam fires happen often enough to worry about?

B) if so, does the wimpy-looking spring do anything to prevent them?

The recoil spring is what brings the bolt into battery. It shouldn't matter what the caliber is. I haven't been able to find much about the springs, other than the PSLs use a longer one. Are they all the same, then?

They don't, but I hear about them a few times, and think of how sticky the firing pins on the yugo kits I messed with were, even after cleaning them out. I'd use a beefier spring, like galils use.

Originally Posted by TRX

The recoil spring is what brings the bolt into battery. It shouldn't matter what the caliber is. I haven't been able to find much about the springs, other than the PSLs use a longer one. Are they all the same, then?

On the AK it slows down the carrier, the carrier isn't supposed to hit the rear trunnion hard, if at all. The PSL's carrier hits the trunnion HARD, it has reinforcement plates, but it still does something it shouldn't, so if they were available I'd put in a much stronger recoil spring. Also, with mags with even a tiny spot of rust they'll catch the rim, and it'll jam, a stronger spring would hopefully "power through" the resistance.
Now that I think of it I wonder if PKM recoil springs are big enough.